Highs and lows for Cotuit

Friday

Jun 29, 2012 at 2:00 AM

The Cotuit Kettleers continue to ride the rollercoaster that is summer baseball on Cape Cod.

Kathleen Szmit

Kathleen Szmit Photos

UNDER COVER – Cotuit Kettleers’ General Manager Bruce Murphy and Head Coach Mike Roberts hope in vain for the rain to stop at Lowell Park June 26. The Kettleers’ game against Bourne was rescheduled for July 2.

Kettleers trump Chatham, fall to Falmouth

The Cotuit Kettleers continue to ride the rollercoaster that is summer baseball on Cape Cod. This week, when not dodging raindrops and lightning flashes, the Kettleers recorded a solid 11-5 win against the Chatham Anglers before falling 9-2 to the Falmouth Commodores.

Cotuit took their catchphrase “have a hit” to heart June 24, recording multiple hits in the first, fourth and ninth innings en route to victory at Veterans’ Field.

Tony Kemp led off the game at Chatham with a walk, crossing the plate two batters later on a putout from teammate Derek Smith to put Cotuit on the scoreboard.

Jacob May reached on a single before stealing second and then advancing to third on a wild pitch, before Cael Brockmeyer smacked a single to bring in May for run No. 2.

A single from Adam Nelubowich moved Brockmeyer into scoring position, which he did when Mike Ford stepped up and batted a single, bringing Cotuit to an early 3-0 lead.

The Kettleers extended their edge in the fourth with three more runs, the first coming on a hit from Kemp to bring in Ford. Next up was Raph Rhymes, whose single to second brought in Kemp and Angel Rosa to put Cotuit ahead 6-0 before the Anglers plated two runs in their half of the fourth.

As Chatham continued to chip away at Cotuit’s lead with a run in the fifth and two in the seventh, the Kettleers added another in the sixth before lighting up the ninth with four runs to claim victory.

With Brockmeyer and Ford already on base, Rosa loaded the bases with a walk. An error by Chatham shortstop Alex Chittenden during Kemp’s at-bat brought in Brockmeyer just before Rhymes hit into a sweet double to bring in Kemp, Ford, and Rosa, bringing Cotuit’s total to 11.

Kemp went 1-for-3 with four runs, while May went 2-for-5 with a run and Ford went 3-for-4 with two runs. Rosa went 1-for-3 with two runs, while Brockmeyer went 1-for-4 with two runs.

Ryan Connolly earned the win for Cotuit, relieving starter Kevin Ziomek. Ziomek lasted four innings, in which he fanned eight while allowing two runs in three hits. Connolly stepped in for 2.2 innings striking out two while also allowing two runs on three hits.

Closer Dan Slania earned the save in 2.1 innings on the mound with one strikeout, no hits and no runs.

After heavy rains washed out Cotuit’s June 26 game against Bourne, the Kettleers hosted Falmouth, falling 9-2 in nine innings.

As the Commodores scattered runs across the innings, Falmouth’s bullpen held the Kettleers to just two runs in the game’s fifth inning.

Pinch hitter Jacob Valdez reached first on an error, advancing to third on a double hit by Kemp, with Valdez plating Cotuit’s first run of the game on a putout by Rhymes.

As Smith drew out No. 2, Kemp raced home for the Kettleers’ second run of the game before the inning ended.

From there, Cotuit was left scoreless as the Commodores continued scoring, adding two runs in the sixth and another two in the seventh to seal their win.

The Kettleers travel to Harwich tonight (June 29) to take on the Harwich Mariners (7 p.m. start), before returning to Lowell Park June 30 to host the Wareham Gatemen at 5 p.m.